the discovery of fire –

hurtling Shapes subsumed by Night the sky

darkening with Intent; hardknuckled routes

through the wood, branches

stinging, the brushing of leaves, bird cries

with impiety the sounds of a television sparking

spare minuets of an inclined dance

in the pitch; who caught the first Spark? Who tamed

the chimera, Fire? Who caught

and sheltered the orange flame burning with

mystery its heat a double-edged

sword, it’s crackling inspiration to the dance in

the moist Earth? – we burn

with sultry passion, we burn in anger, we burn

to burn the house down we seethe

with white heat

our prayers in incense smoke with fire, our

ritual is born

in kindling – We

are warmed in the winter’s ice with

our chant, our beating

of the drum to the whipping flames

angling skyward – we sit, before the fire,

untamed and here entranced – the television

sparkles on its quiet fire reminder of our

rite --